Hb Bart's Disease Clinical Trial
Official title:
Use of 3D/4D Ultrasound in the Evaluation of Fetal Anomalies - The Use of Volumetry by Three Dimensional Ultrasound in the First Trimester
Volumetry measurements can be a potential clinical use as non-invasive tools in prenatal diagnosis and screening and helps to reduce the risk and complications of invasive procedures. 3DUS volumetry gives more precise results than 2DUS volumetry measurements, particularly, of irregularly shaped objects.
Conventionally volume measurements can be made by using multiplanar or VOCALTM (Virtual
Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis). Recently, a new technique, XI VOCALTM (eXtended Imaging
VOCAL) has been described. Combined with the inversion mode, measurements for the
liquid-filled structures can also be made. The potential use in clinical diagnosis and
prediction of pathologies of volume measurements particularly in the first trimester are yet
to be investigated.
3D ultrasound is found to be superior to 2D parameter in volumetry measurement. However,
currently, there are still very few studies done to evaluate the potential use of volumetry
measurement in clinical practice, especially of the validity and reproducibility of XI
VOCALTM; and the variation of results obtained within different ultrasound machines. Due to
the potential use of volumetry measurements in clinical practice, the accuracy in volumetry
measurement is very important and the development of new technique need to be fully explored
so that its benefits can be fully used for the contribution of clinical practice.
So far no research has been done to evaluate the difference in the results obtained between
different ultrasound machines, in particularly for volumetry measurements. This is important
because if there is no significant difference in results between difference machines, we can
accumulate the results from these machines for a study, which can include a more variety of
samples. Furthermore, it will be much easier to compare results of one machine with another
for similar studies.
Both Voluson 730 and Accuvix have been used widely in research studies on 3D volumetry but
comparison of the results obtained from these two machines have not been done. We do not
know whether the results generated from one machine can be extrapolated to the other machine
for clinical or research purpose. Thus more research needs to be done in this area.
Thus, this study is carried out to evaluate the potential use of the new modality of XI
VOCALTM in the volumetry measurement of regular and irregular shaped objects, comparison of
results obtained between different widely used machines, and the potential used of volumetry
measurements in the prediction of common and important clinical pathologies such as
αº-thalassemia.
;
Observational Model: Case Control